Africa marks mine awareness day amidst the ongoing threat of IEDs

African nations join the world today in commemorating the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action under the theme “Safe futures start here.” The day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly to be observed on Read More …

Central African Republic Unveils Five-Year Strategy to Expand Mine Clearance Efforts

The Central African Republic (CAR) and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) have adopted a five-year national strategy to strengthen mine action and explosive ordnance risk prevention, according to a statement released on Saturday, June Read More …

South Korean forum urges wider clearance of DMZ land mines

South Korean defense experts, mine-clearance researchers and technology companies called for broader government, military and civilian cooperation to remove land mines and unexploded ordnance near the Demilitarized Zone, saying the weapons continue to threaten residents more than seven decades after Read More …

Syria: Mine clearance teams begin work to secure return routes to Serêkaniyê

Mine clearance teams have begun work on the road connecting the cities of Tel Tamer and Serêkaniyê and the surrounding villages, as part of preparations for the return of displaced residents of Serêkaniyê to their homes. Presidential team member Mustafa Read More …

Cambodia: HALO Trust successfully clears minefield in Oddar Meanchey province

The HALO Trust has successfully completed mine clearance operations at a contaminated site in Ta Dev village, Trapaing Tav commune, Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey province, according to information released by the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) today. During the Read More …

AUSSOM, UN Mine Action Service Discuss Expanding Cooperation on Explosive Threats in Somalia

The commander of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), Lieutenant General Sam Kavuma, met in Mogadishu with the head of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), Fran O’Grady, to discuss strengthening cooperation in addressing explosive Read More …

Iraq: Thousands of deminers face danger without safeguards

More than 5,000 Iraqis work in mine and unexploded ordnance clearance across Iraq, facing low wages and limited social and health protections despite carrying out one of the country’s most dangerous humanitarian missions, the Eco Iraq Observatory cautioned on Saturday. Read More …

Ukraine: Kyiv and Tokyo plan to create a venture fund and launch a commercial investment hub

Ukraine and Japan are strengthening their cooperation in the areas of economic and technological transformation, smart demining, and investment attraction. During negotiations, the countries’ representatives paid close attention to integrating Japanese technologies into Ukrainian production. First, they plan to apply this approach Read More …

Libya: Italy and international partners relaunch support for mine clearance

According to data from the Libyan Centre for Mine and War Remnants Activities, since 2011 over 688 million square metres of Libyan territory have been contaminated by explosive devices or war remnants. Italy, the European Union, and nine other countries Read More …

Cambodia: Japan funds $11M new mine clearance initiative

Cambodia has launched a new Japanese-funded mine clearance initiative worth more than $11 million to accelerate efforts to remove deadly remnants of war from the country’s western provinces, expand support for affected communities, and move closer to its goal of Read More …

UN Calls for Urgent Action as Afghanistan’s Land is Heavily Contaminated by Explosives

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has expressed deep concern over the contamination of two-thirds of Afghanistan’s land by explosive materials, reporting that an average of 15 civilians lose their lives each month due to Read More …

Syria: International donors continue to support recovery efforts with emphasis on mine clearance

Head of the donor countries delegation and Director for Humanitarian Affairs at the German Foreign Ministry, Ina HEUSGEN, said Thursday that international donors continue to support Syria’s recovery efforts and infrastructure rehabilitation, with particular emphasis on mine clearance, humanitarian assistance Read More …

Libya: Chief of General Staff and UN Official review mine clearance plans

Chief of the General Staff of the Libyan Army, Salah Al-Din Al-Namroush, met with Fatima Zreig, Director of the United Nations Mine Action Service in Libya, to discuss plans for removing landmines and explosive remnants of war across the country. Read More …

Iraq: Controlled blast rocks area near Baghdad Airport

Iraqi security forces carried out a controlled explosion of war remnants near Baghdad International Airport on Wednesday, a police source told Shafaq News. The materials included rockets, ammunition, and other unexploded ordnance previously recovered during search operations in several areas. Read More …

Nepal: Two decades since peace accord, wartime IEDs still haunt villagers

Nearly two decades after the peace accord formally ended a protracted Maoist insurgency (1996-2006), explosives planted during the conflict are still being discovered in settlements, school compounds and farmlands across the country. According to security agencies, many explosives planted or Read More …

The UK renews £1.6M for Cambodia mine action

Thousands of Cambodian farming families will live and work more safely as the UK renews its commitment to mine action in Cambodia, now in its fourth decade of support with an estimated total contribution of £65 million (over USD 85 Read More …

Ukraine: Glass cobwebs in the fields, why fibre optics can be a problem for demining

A new anthropogenic landscape is forming along the front line, saturated with everything possible: debris, mines, unexploded ordnance, and toxic waste. Fiber optics from drones are also on this list. Millions of kilometers of thin cables litter Ukrainian lands and Read More …

UN: Global demining work strained by rising conflicts and shrinking aid

Demining experts from around the world have been sharing their collective shock at the widespread and growing threat from unexploded ordnance, the new head of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) said this week. “They’re telling me, ‘Never in my Read More …

Cambodia: Farmer killed in mine blast as ERW casualties rise

A farmer was killed Wednesday when an explosive remnant of war (ERW) detonated on his land in Battambang province, taking the number of blast casualties to 21 since the start of the year. This marks a rise of 17% compared Read More …

Cambodia: Government aims to clear all mine-affected areas by 2030

The government has set a target to clear all mine-affected areas by 2030, with cluster munitions and priority zones containing explosive remnants of war (ERW) to be cleared by 2035. This initiative aims to bolster socio-economic development and enhance Cambodia’s Read More …